RTThu, 11 Jan 2018 14:11 UTC
© Grigoriy Sisoev / SputnikRussian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with heads of Russian mass media on January 11, 2017
From US interference into other countries' affairs to the cryptocurrency craze, Russian President Vladimir Putin managed to cover a wide range of topics while speaking at his latest major media briefing.
Putin sat down with the heads of major Russian media outlets on Thursday. While he mostly commented on international politics, issues such as cryptocurrencies and the digital economy did not go unnoticed by the Russian leader.
On who was behind recent attacks on Russia's airbase in Syria:
We know who they are. We know whom and how much they paid for these provocations ... aimed at wrecking the agreements that have been reached earlier. It is also an attempt to destroy our relations ... with our partners - Turkey and Iran. We understand it perfectly well and we will act united.
On difficulties in relations with the US:
No country would tolerate foreign interference in its internal affairs.
I believe it is absolutely wrong ... that they [the US] constantly engage [in those sorts of activities] and make attempts [to influence other countries' internal political situations], believing that it is normal.
On the stand-off around North Korea's nuclear program:
I believe, Mr Kim Jong-un has certainly won this round. He achieved his strategic goal. He [now] has a nuclear charge and a ... missile with a range of up to 13,000 kilometers that can reach almost any place on Earth or at least any territory of his potential adversary.
He is already an absolutely shrewd and mature politician.
On risks posed by cryptocurrencies:
It is known that there is nothing behind a cryptocurrency. It can be a means of payment but not a store of value.
Now, people themselves bear the risks [of buying cryptocurrency]. If we create regulations [for this field] ... the state would bear responsibility for a difficult situation, in which people can get.
On switching to the digital economy:
Russia should not be a slave of some already existing [foreign digital] platforms. We will create our own [platform].
Comment: More of Putin's
cryptocurrency comments:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has weighed in on the bitcoin debate. Although there will eventually be a need to legislate cryptocurrencies, he said any risks taken by investors now are their own responsibility.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, President Putin said the Central Bank of Russia's (CBR) cautious approach to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin is because there is nothing to guarantee their value.
"In general, of course, in the future there will certainly need to be legislative regulation. The Central Bank has already repeatedly formulated its attitude to this case, just as the government has.
"The CBR behaves conservatively, but, in my opinion, there are grounds for this conservatism, because it is known that there is nothing behind cryptocurrency, it cannot be a means of accumulation, it has no material value behind it and it is in no way secured," he said.
"In certain situations it can be a way of paying that can be done quickly and efficiently. You can pay, but there are no savings and no guarantee, so the Central Bank approaches this very carefully. The fluctuations are colossal: today you invested everything, and tomorrow everything is lost.
"If we regulate, but not efficiently enough, then the government will be responsible for the difficult situations that people can get into. Right now it is the responsibility of the person himself and the government can only say 'you can do this but you can't do that,' and if it's still not clear then there will be some problems that need to be solved."
Opinion on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies remains divided, with some financial experts believing it is a worthy investment, as the price fluctuations and its meteoric rise in value will eventually even out, while others consider it a bubble that will burst sooner or later.
The Russian government is currently mulling over how to best regulate cryptocurrencies, with Deputy Finance Minister Aleksey Moiseev suggesting in December that mining bitcoin and other forms of online money would be illegal, but buying them or trading them would remain within the law.
Comment: More of Putin's cryptocurrency comments: